Farmers Market Vendor Portal

Mission Statement

The Shelburne Farmers Market exists to facilitate a link between local producers and consumers and to sustain a robust local food system. To that end, we only allow the sale of producer-grown or made goods. Shelburne Farmers Market is proud to welcome vendors of all backgrounds, including New Americans and those from historically marginalized or underrepresented communities.

We consider Market a "Third Space" to gather for fun and community, and we strive to create true community wealth by closing gaps in the local food system with nutritional programs to support people in need, in partnership with NOFA-VT, DCF, USDA, and the Shelburne Food Shelf.

Schedule

Summer Market

The Summer Market is held at the Shelburne Parade Grounds and Village Green in Shelburne, Vermont.

• 2026 Season: May 16 – October 17 (23 Saturdays)
• Hours: 9:00am – 1:00pm, Rain or Shine
• Shelburne Day (August 15): Extended hours, 9:00am – 2:00pm
• Vendor Setup: Unloading and setup may begin at 7:30am

Vendor Definitions

Vendors will be classified as one of three types:

Full-Time Vendor

A vendor that attends at least 80% of the markets and whose annual fees have been paid. There are two classifications:

• Full Season Vendor: Attends every week during the summer season (at least 18 of 23 scheduled markets)
• Half Season Vendor: Attends weekly for either the first half (May–July) OR the second half (August–October) of the season (at least 10 markets)

Day Vendor

A vendor that does not regularly attend the market but joins when space is available. They either are part-time vendors who cannot commit to every week, or vendors that fill in for full-time vendor absences.

Vendor Fees

Vendor fees are based on your status (Full Season, Half Season, or Day Vendor).

• Season Vendor: $650
• Full Season Farmer: $550
• Half Season Vendor: $350
• Day Vendor: $50 per market (advance), $60 per market (same day)

Seasonal Vendors must pay market fees in full by April 15, 2026. Day Vendors may pay in advance ($50) or same day ($60).

Fees can be paid online, in person at the Shelburne Town Offices (5420 Shelburne Road), or by mail to PO Box 88, Shelburne, VT 05482. Mail payments must be postmarked by April 15, 2026, and checks should note "Farmers Market Vendor Fee."

Vendor Types and Products

The Shelburne Farmers Market exists to facilitate a link between local producers and consumers. To that end, we only allow the sale of producer-grown or made goods. The Market is primarily an agricultural market but also provides a variety of products made in local cottage industries. The following vendor guidelines apply:

General Guidelines

• Vendors may only sell what they themselves produce
• Vendors may sell t-shirts, tote bags or other branded items if they do not take up more than 30% of the vendor's display

Vendor Categories

• Agricultural Vendor: A vendor who sells food, fiber, plants, or flowers, and value-added agricultural products that were grown in Vermont by the vendor or the vendor's employees. These vendors' products are classified as Agriculture and Value-Added Agricultural Products.
• Prepared Food Vendor: A vendor who sells ready to eat food or drink OR a vendor who sells processed/packaged food prepared by the vendor in Vermont in a home or licensed community kitchen. These vendors' products are classified as Baked Goods & Confectionary and Ready to Eat Food & Drink.
• Artisan Vendor: A vendor who sells items that do not qualify as agricultural or prepared food and that are hand-crafted in Vermont by the vendor in their home or shop. These vendors' products are classified as Artisan Goods.
• Service Vendor: A vendor who sells no physical product but offers a service at the market, typically in the areas of fitness and wellness.
• Community Vendor: A vendor from a non-profit, non-partisan organization.

Vendor Mix Goals

Agricultural vendors will make up at least 50% of the total number of vendors. Prepared Food Vendors will make up no more than 30% of the amount of frontage occupied/total number of vendors. Artisan Vendors will make up no more than 20% the amount of frontage occupied/total number of vendors, unless we do not meet our goals.

All products vendors intend to sell must be listed on the application and approved by the Committee during the acceptance process. Once accepted to the market, vendors may change and/or diversify offerings within reason, if they do not directly compete with the sales of other vendors. There may be multiple sellers of similar products if vendors do not harm each other's sales.

The Manager or members of the Committee reserve the right to ask vendors to remove products in violation of this good faith condition.

Vendor Seniority & Space Management

Vendors achieve seniority by previous seasons attendance. Seniority determines priority order of acceptance to Shelburne Farmers Market. Both Full-time and Day Vendors can earn seniority by attending past seasons.

• If a vendor doesn't sell for two consecutive years, any previous seniority is forfeited
• If a vendor sells their business, seniority is not passed on to the new owner

Vending spaces for all Seasonal Vendors will be assigned on the basis of seniority and availability.

• Returning season vendors may keep preferred locations
• Returning Seasonal Vendors who would like to change their space will have the opportunity to do so before new vendors are given the option. These changes will be in coordination with the Market Manager.

All new Seasonal Vendors and Day Vendors will be assigned a seasonal spot by the Market Manager and may change as needed. Full-time Vendors will eventually have a permanent spot; Day vendors locations will change as needed.

Vendors are assigned one 10' x 10' space. Vendors can apply for multiple spaces as availability allows; preference is given to Agricultural Vendors.

Vendor Expectations and Responsibilities

All members are expected to participate in the Market in the spirit of cooperation, not competition. Vendors should conduct themselves in a manner that enhances the experience of the market for the vendors and the greater community and supports the link between the producer and the consumer.

Legal Requirements

Vendors must comply with all rules and regulations of the State of Vermont relating to the products they sell.

• Vendors must have a Vermont State Tax ID number prior to your first day vending at the market. Some businesses are exempt; contact the VT Department of Taxes for more information in regards to your business.
• Produce vendors must use certified legal-for-trade scales if selling by the pound. The State of Vermont Dept. of Weights and Measures will inspect scales at random throughout the summer.
• Vendors must have all necessary licenses. See: Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Overview of Regulations Covering Products Commonly Sold in Vermont Farmers Markets.
• Vendors requiring a Fair Stand License through the Department of Health must have their certificate/license displayed at market.
• Vendors are expected to follow state food handling guidelines.
• All Vendors are required to sign a Hold Harmless Provision prior to their first Market. It is strongly recommended that vendors carry liability insurance.

Communication

• Vendors are expected to provide an email address and check their email for any important updates, events, announcements, or other important information that may come from the Manager.
• The Manager will send a weekly detail email with a vendor map by the Thursday before that week's market. Please check this to see if there are any changes. (If you don't receive an email double-check you are on the schedule.)

Staffing

• Only vendors, their family members and their employees may staff a booth.
• When the owner/producer is not present, alternative sales people may include immediate family members of the owner who are directly involved in the production of the product(s) for sale and/or employees of the owner involved in the pre-market production of the product(s) for sale. Exceptions and extenuating circumstances may be made with permission from the Committee.
• Business owners must ensure that any employee who represents their business at the market fully understand and will comply with the market guidelines.

Other Expectations

• Vendors are expected to bring a reasonable amount of product to sell through the entire period of the market day.
• Vendors are never permitted to request removal of other vendors, and the manager reserves the right to dismiss vendors who purposely disrupt other's business.

Summer Market Logistics

Attendance

Vendors with reserved spaces MUST notify the Market Manager by 6pm Friday if they are not planning on attending the Saturday market. Early notification is necessary to give Day Vendors a chance to prepare; more advance notice is preferable.

• Late notifications will result in loss of seniority, and the eventual dismissal from Market. Vendors who claim space but do not attend without cancelling will be fined $50 for each missed market date. Three no-show dates without notice makes a vendor ineligible to participate further at SFM.
• The Manager will maintain a map of the market areas showing all vending spaces. This map will come via email and be available at the market and used for placement of Day Vendors.

Setup Requirements

Vendors must be FULLY set up and ready for business by 9:00am and must stay until 1:00pm.

• Vendors not set up and ready to sell by 9:00am or who leave before 1:00pm without permission from the Manager will be issued a warning by the Manager or any member of the Committee. Seniority may be forfeit, and vendors may be uninvited from the Market, if late setup or early leaving are repeated.
• If a scheduled vendor is not at the market by 8:30am and has not notified the Manager, the vendor's space can be assigned to a day vendor.
• Vendors should make sure that their storage or usable areas do not extend beyond their allocated 10' x 10' space, unless by special permission.
• All vendors are required to erect canopies (tents), regardless of weather. All canopies must be safely and securely anchored to the ground from the set-up through breakdown period with 30-pound weights or stakes for each tent leg, equalling 120lbs in total.
• Vendors who fail to bring canopy/tent and weights will not be allowed to vend at the Market.
• Vendors must display a sign indicating their business name and where they are located.
• Vendors are required to provide their own tables, chairs, and tablecloths. Each vendor must maintain a tidy display on all sides of their display area; tablecloths extending to the ground are recommended.
• All displays and signs must be appropriate and in keeping with the spirit of the market.

Market Conduct

• Vendors are strongly encouraged to use compostable containers, utensils, packaging, and bags. Styrofoam containers are prohibited by Vermont state law.
• All pre-packaged items for sale must be priced and all ingredients listed.
• Trash and recycling receptacles must be provided in front of each booth that serves samples and be taken to the larger trash receptacle at the end of the day.
• Each market day, vendor spaces must be cleared of debris and all vendor-generated trash must be taken home with that vendor. Vendors are not to deposit trash that their business generates in the public trash bins.
• Booths using heating and cooking equipment must have an adequate safety barrier between the equipment and the public and adjacent vendors.
• Electricity access is not available.
• Distracting behavior that impedes on the peaceful, cooperative operation of the market will not be tolerated. No pre-recorded and or amplified music is permitted. Live music may only be played in your booth space when there are no paid market musicians performing.
• Vendors may not have dogs in the display area of their booth, EXCEPT REGISTERED SERVICE ANIMALS. Vendors may bring dogs to market, but dogs must stay behind display areas and be leashed to avoid interaction with customer's dogs. If your dog receives complaints about bad behavior or becomes a nuisance, you will be asked to leave it home going forward.
• Vendors are not allowed to smoke, or drink alcohol within the perimeter of the market. Vaping must be done outside display area, and away from the view of customers.

Reporting

Vendors are required to submit weekly gross sales figures to the Manager, rounded to the nearest dollar. These figures are confidential; only aggregate figures will be available to the public. The data is essential to securing ongoing funding at local, state and federal level, demonstrates local economic impact, and provides the foundation for market growth analysis.

• Seasonal Vendors (Full or Half Season) must submit gross receipts within a month.
• Day Vendors must submit gross receipts to the Manager at the end of the day that they vend.
• Sales can only be reported using an online collection form in the weekly detail emails.
• Missing sales information can result in a loss of seniority for full-time vendors and loss of scheduling opportunities for fill-in vendors.
• Vendors may request their reported sales data at any time from the Market Manager to check for missing data.

Enforcement

All vendors are expected to know and follow the guidelines of the Shelburne Farmers Market or will be subject to permanent dismissal from the market. If the vendor is found not to be following the guidelines, they will be given three warnings. Upon a vendor receiving their third violation, a vendor will be disinvited from Shelburne Farmers Market.

Committee members or the Market Manager can give these warnings.

Marketing & Promotion

The Market will provide marketing and promotion via social media, e-newsletter, Front Porch Forum, and signage. All full-time and part-time vendors will be listed on the Market website.

Nondiscrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy

The Shelburne Farmers Market and Experience Shelburne do not tolerate any harassment (sexual, physical, psychological, or verbal) or discrimination (on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age) of vendors or customers. Any vendor found guilty following an investigation of committing any of these acts will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Harassment encompasses a broad range of physical or verbal behavior which can include, but is not limited to sexual abuse, physical or mental abuse, racial insults, derogatory ethnic jokes, religious slurs, taunting, or intending to provoke another person.

If any vendor feels there is any type of discriminatory conduct, they should immediately bring it to the attention of the Market Manager for investigation.

Policy Changes

All policy changes during market season are subject to the Market Manager and Experience Shelburne's discretion.